Following two major incidents of passengers’ unruly behaviour at airports recently, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that all phones must be switched off during take-off and landing of aircraft.
Speaking at the National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NCASC) meeting yesterday in Abuja to address the challenges of unruly passengers and prevent further security breaches, the director-general of NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, reiterated the rule, saying a memo would be sent to all airlines to update their protocols to include it.
Captain Najomo warned that recent incidents of unruly passenger behaviours in the aviation sector could damage public trust if not properly handled.
He said that the meeting aims to determine and deploy immediate corrective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, even as he highlighted the importance of training, retraining, and continuous training on matters related to aviation security.
The DGCA said that recent incidents involving unruly passengers could erode trust in the aviation sector if they are not well handled.
He further noted the need to strengthen inter-agency coordination among regulatory bodies, security agencies, and law enforcement to ensure a safe and secure air transport sector.
He said, “Today’s engagement is not about pointing fingers or apportioning blame – No, that would not achieve the desired results – It is rather about listening, discussing and awakening us to our individual and collective responsibilities towards a safe and secure air transport sector.
“We are here also to analyse and understand the chain of failures that permitted the incidents, unify and strengthen inter-agency coordination, determine and deploy immediate corrective measures, identify ‘quick wins’ and policy gaps, reiterate the need for training and awareness on aviation security.”
Speaking further, the director of public affairs and consumer protection NCAA Michael Achimugu, while speaking on passengers’ rights and responsibilities, said it is mandatory for all passengers on board and aircraft to obey the instructions of the pilot and cabin crew.
He maintained that while passengers seek their rights, they should also ensure that they fulfil their responsibilities as passengers in order to ensure the safety of the flights.
He explained that uncooperative suspects are handled differently from cooperative suspects, noting that “This is global. In Nigeria, we are even more humane. In most cases abroad, even if you are cooperative, unruly behaviour is treated with extreme prejudice.”
He spoke on lessons learnt: “I am happy about the recent events. I am proud of the way the NCAA handle these issues. There is not one party involved that would repeat their errors. Not KWAM1. Not Comfort. Not the pilot or cabin crew. But, there are gaps in the system that need to be plucked as a matter of urgency.”
However, he implored aviation security to step up its enforcement regulations and make them more stringent and consistent, stating: “In the end, let us create synergies and ensure that, after we have left the industry, people would say that civil aviation became better because of us, not in spite of us,” Achimugu concluded.
A representative of the Senate committee on aviation, Senator Peter Jiya identified a lack of professionalism as one of the major causes of the unruly behaviours at the airport, noting that if the workers at the airport did their jobs properly, some of the unruly situations noticed would have been prevented.
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